CANYOUMAGINEHOWHARDITWOULDBETOREADSENTENCESLIKES?
Every one of us gets so used to punctuation marks that not many of us give them a secondthought．Actually，the ancient Greeks wrote this way．The lack of punctuation marks probably didn’t bother good readers，though．As they read，they just put pauses where they fit best. Also at this time，sentences switched directions．A sentence read from leftto right．The next one read right to left，and then left to right again，etc．The ancient Romans sometimes punctuatedlike this：They put somethingthat can separate words in a sentence．The wordpunctuationactually comes from this idea andthe Latin word“punctum”which means a lot.
When the 5th century arrived，there were just twopunctuation marks：spaces and points．The spaces separated words while the points showed pauses in reading．Then in the 13th century，a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation．He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence．He used a slash(／)toindicate a short pause．Over time．that slash was shortened and curled，and it became the modern comma(逗号)．
Since that time，other marks have enlarged the punctuation family．The exclamation mark(感叹号)comes from the Latin word“io”．It means “exclamation of joy”.The question mark originally started out as the Latin word“questio”，meaning“question”．Eventually，scholars put it attheend of a sentence to show a question．
Punctuation even keeps changing nowadays．New marks are coming into existence，and old punctuation marks are used in new ways．Take for example the“interrobang”．This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both．For example．“She did what?!”or“How much did you pay for that dress?!”Obviously,the interrobang is not widelyused or recognized yet，but its invention shows that English is not yet finishedwith its punctuation．From the first paragraph，we can know that__________.
| A．good readers had trouble reading without punctuation marks |
| B．a sentence always read from left to right in ancient Greece |
| C．ancient Greeks switched the direction of punctuation marks |
| D．the use of punctuation marks can date back to ancient times |
We can learn from the passage that___________．
| A．ancient Romans didn’t use any punctuation marks |
| B．exclamation and question marks came from Latin |
| C．spaces and slashes were already used before the 5th century |
| D．Aldus Manutiusfast started to use commas |
What can be concluded from the last paragraph?
| A．The combinationoftwo marks will not work. |
| B．It takes time for people to accept new punctuation marks． |
| C．Old punctuation marks need to be standardized． |
| D．Punctuation marks are still changing today． |
The other day at a supermarket, I saw a naughty boy of about six crying loudly, falling to the floor and refusing to move. All the while the troubled mother was trying to persuade him to behave well but failed．A little smack on his bottom would have done the job，I thought．
Teenagers also cause discipline(纪律)problems．As a teacher, I had a 16-year-old student who had fallen in love with a waiter at a fast-food restaurant．In fact，she had left home to stay with him．So we decided to put her in the school hostel．She refused．When she heard her mother begging her to stay in the hostel she turned round and said：“Why don't you stay in the hostel if you like it so much?”
My palms were itching to slap her for being so rude but the poor mother continued to cajole her，hoping that gentle persuasion would work wonders．It did not．The last I heard，she had run away from home again．
The list goes on and on．Could it be that today's parents are softer and believe that they must not rod(棍棒惩罚)their children for fear of the bad result? Or do they actually believe that the children will get rid of the bad habits and behave well naturally as they grow older? I beg to disagree．I believe it is the parents' duty to discipline the children even at a young age．
My children who are now adults will prove the fact that I used the rod when I thought it necessary．Later when they went abroad，they related to their British university friends on how they were disciplined．Their friends abroad were filled with horror and told my daughter that I could be charged with child abuse(虐待)．However，my daughter showed great respect for me when she told them that she would not be where she was today if not for my strict discipline．The underlined word“cajole”probably means ．
| A．persuade | B．scold | C．forgive | D．punish |
The author would probably .
| A．beat the children every day | B．treat the children in a softer way |
| C．leave the children as they are | D．punish the children when necessary |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A．the naughty boy’s mother hit him |
| B．the teacher’s daughter is living with the teacher |
| C．the author’s daughter was thankful for the author’s strict discipline |
| D．the author was charged with child abuse by her daughter’s friends abroad |
Which of the following could be the best title for this passage?
| A．Spoil Kids | B．Value Discipline | C．Respect Parent | D．Protect Kids |
A Day of Design
Sunday, June 27,2010
9 a. m. ~ 4 p. m.
Thomas College Student Center
Join us for a free day of fun! A Day of Design will encourage those interested in flowers and design to get in touch with their creative side and get some tips from the experts – Jeff and Scott. Pleas see the schedule below for details about this wonderful opportunity!
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Registration (登记) for the day runs from 9 a.m. in the Student Center. Later guests will take a tour of the Thomas College campus before the day’s events.
10:30 a. m. ~ 12:00 p. m.
Jeff and Scott will design more than a dozen arrangements in a variety of sizes and colors and auction (拍卖) will be held and guests will have the opportunity to bid on the flower arrangements.
12:00 p. m. ~ 1:00 p. m.
A delightful boxed lunch will be served. During the lunch hour, Jeff and Scott will create a centerpiece for the holiday table and give tips for creating a beautiful centerpiece using things found in the home.
3:00 p. m. ~ 4:00 p. m.
A fitting way to end the day – guests are invited to enjoy a wine and cheese party. Jeff and Scott will be available to answer questions or just talk about flowers!
There is no charge for this event.
REGISTER NOW!
Space is limited to 45 guests.What are guests supposed to do from 9:00 a. m. to 10:30 a. m.?
| A．To design flower arrangements. | B．To enjoy a wine and cheese party. |
| C．To learn how to create a centerpiece. | D．To take a tour of the Thomas College campus. |
When will an auction be held?
| A．9:00 a.m. ~ 10:30 a.m. | B．10:30 a.m. ~ 12:00 p.m. |
| C．1:00 p.m. ~ 3:00 p. m. | D．3:00 p. m. ~ 4:00 p. m. |
The underlined word “centerpiece” is probably .
| A．a photo on the wall | B．a picture that has been drawn |
| C．a decoration for the center of a table | D．a flower that is carved out of stone |
We can learn from the passage that A Day of Design .
| A．lasts for eight hours | B．is free of charge |
| C．is held annually in July | D．is aimed at fashion designers |
A small piece of fish each, day may keep the heart doctor away. That’s the finding of a study of Dutchmen in which deaths from heart disease were more than 50 percent lower among those who consumed at least an ounce(英两) of salt water fish per day compared to those who never ate fish.
The Dutch research is one of three human studies that give strong scientific support to the long-held belief that eating fish can provide health benefits, particularly to the heart.
Heart disease is the number-one killer in the United States, with more than 550,000 deaths occurring from heart attacks each year. But previous research has shown that the level of heart disease is lower in cultures that consume more fish than Americans do. There are fewer heart disease deaths, for example, among the Eskimos of Greenland, who consume about 14 ounces of fish a day, and among the Japanese, whose daily fish consumption average more than 3 ounces.
F or 20 years, the Dutch study followed 852 middle-aged men, 20 percent of whom ate no fish. At the start of the study, average fish consumption was about two-thirds of an ounce each day, with more men eating lean fish than fatty fish.
During the next two decades, 78 of the men died from heart disease. The fewest deaths were among the group who regularly ate fish, even at levels far lower than those of the Japanese or Eskimos. This relationship was true regardless of other factors such as age, high blood pressure, or blood cholesterol levels.What is the author’s attitude towards the topic?
| A．Disappointed. | B．Sad. | C．Concerned. | D．Satisfied. |
We can infer from the passage that there are fewer heart disease deaths in the countries .
| A．that are highly developed | B．with a lot of fish |
| C．with high consumption of fish | D．where it is very cold |
The underlined words “This relationship” refers to the connection between and deaths from heart disease.
| A．the amount of fish | B．regular fish – eating |
| C．the kind of fish eaten | D．people of different areas |
The passage is mainly about .
| A．the changes in people’s diet |
| B．the effect of fish – eating on people’s health |
| C．the high percentage of heart disease in some countries |
| D．the daily fish consumption of people in different cultures |
Do you want to have a mobile phone? Have you had a mobile phone already? Nowadays more and more students have their own mobile phones, and mobile phone use has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in China have banned students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.
Mobile phone use among children has become a big problem for the school this year. Some children have got mobile phones as birthday gifts, and more students want them.
Wang Pi, an official, said, “Mobile phone use is a distraction (分散注意力的东西) to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms.” Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.
Wang Pialso said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones, but some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t get in touch with their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if their was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school. They were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.Some middle schools have banned students from carrying mobile phones .
| A．because they are students | B．because they don’t earn money |
| C．when they are at school | D．when they are free |
Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t during school hours.
| A．help the teachers with their work | B．leave their mobile phones at school offices |
| C．use their mobile phones | D．get in touch with their children |
The three underlined words “they” in Para. 5 refer to .
| A．teachers; students; mobile phones | B．teachers; mobile phones; students |
| C．students; teachers; mobile phones | D．students; mobile phones; teachers |
The passage tells us that .
| A．it is impossible to ban students from using mobile phones at school |
| B．some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t use their phones at school |
| C．students shouldn’t have mobile phones at school except for some special reasons |
| D．parents should teach their children how to use mobile phones during school hours |
For several days I saw little of Mr. Rochester. In the morning he seemed very busy with business, and in the afternoon gentlemen from the neighborhood called and sometimes stayed to dine with him. When his foot was well enough, he rode out a great deal.
During this time, all my knowledge of him was limited to occasional meetings about the house, when he would sometimes pass me coldly, and sometimes bow and smile. His changes of manner did not offend me, because I had nothing to do with the cause of them.
One evening, several days later, I was invited to talk to Mr. Rochester after dinner. He was sitting in his armchair, and looked not quite so severe, and much less gloomy. There was a smile on his lips, and his eyes were bright, probably with wine. As I was looking at him, he suddenly turned, and asked me, “Do you think I am handsome, Miss Eyre?”
The answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I realized it: “No，sir.” “Ah，you really are unusual! You are a quiet, serious little person, but you can be almost rude.” “Sir, I'm sorry. I should have said that beauty doesn't matter, or something like that.” “No, you shouldn't! I see, you criticize my appearance, and then you stab (刺) me in the back! You have honesty and feeling. There are not many girls like you. But perhaps I go too fast. Perhaps you have awful faults to counterbalance your few good points.”
I thought to myself that he might have too. He seemed to read my mind, and said quickly, “Yes, you're right. I have plenty of faults. I went the wrong way when I was twenty-one, and have never found the right path again. I might have been very different. I might have been as good as you, and perhaps wiser. I am not a bad man, take my word for it, but I have done wrong. It wasn't my character, but circumstances which were to blame. Why do I tell you all this? Because you're the sort of person people tell their problems and secrets to, because you're sympathetic and give them hope.”
It seemed he had quite a lot to talk to me. He didn't seem to like to finish the talk quickly, as was the case for the first time.
“Don't be afraid of me, Miss. Eyre,” he continued. “You don't relax or laugh very much, perhaps because of the effect Lowood school has had on you. But in time you will be more natural with me, and laugh, and speak freely. You're like a bird in a cage. When you get out of the cage, you'll fly very high. Good night.”
51. At the beginning, Miss Eyre's impressions of Mr. Rochester was all except __________.
A. busy B. sociable C. dull D. changeable
52. The underlined sentence means __________.
A. Only by meeting him around the house sometimes did I know a little about him.
B. Only by coming to the house could I know about him.
C. I occasionally met him but my knowledge about him was poor.
D. What I knew about him was limited in the house.
53. From what Mr. Rochester told Miss Eyre, we can conclude that he wanted to __________.
A. tell her all his troubles
B. tell her his life experience
C. blame her for misunderstanding him
D. change his circumstances
54. At the end of the passage, Mr. Rochester sounded __________.
A. rude B. cold C. polite D. encouraging
55. According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?
A. Miss Eyre was at Lowood School before she came to Mr. Rochester’s house.
B. Miss Eyre didn’t see Mr. Rochester often.
C. Miss Eyre was honest, brave and confident.
D. Miss Eyre was brave, polite and warm-hearted.